The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-07-21

OF the mos intelligent, deeply pious Chris
tan women to he found in any land or age
She was the daughter of the celebrated
Wiley Jones, of Halifax town, OF Reyolu-
tionaTy fame Mrs. Joyner's first husband
was Governor III. e.. Burton, native of
Granville county, but who resided at
Rocky Hill, some two or three miles from
the hamlet of kingWood. A long winding
hill leads up to the residence which Is
pitched. on lofty eminence. Gov. Burton
was IN Western Carolina digging gold.
tie had been from home some months. His
wife and eldest daughter, Mrs. James NJ
Williams, we've in the heavy, close car
rage returning To Rock Hill from visit
Mrs. Burton looked ont of the window ana
tn her qualification and surprise discovered
her husband some fifty yards or more dis
tant approaching on horseback. lie was
clad III his usual farming suit. Mrs. Il. said
/ To the driver" Jacob il not that your mas
ter coming down the hill2" The negro re-
| piled ailirmatiyely. On went the carriage
slowly but no rider appeared. Mrs. Il.
! looking out and failing 10 See the Governor
asked Jacob il he saw him. The reply was
/ that he had seen him but lie was gone
| Upon reaching the house the anxious wife
! looked at the clock and noted the time of
| day and felt assured that evil tidings
would come. The mails were slow and il
/ took nearly fortnight for a letter TO reach
/ Halifax from the county in the mountains.
! At last letter came aud &c announced the
| death of the excellent husband who had
rendered distinguished service to the State.
| His death had occurred at the precise hour
when the wife and servant saw him plaialy
with bodily eyes. Mrs. JOINER (such was
| her name when we knew herr was a woman
| Of the highest type and was an enlightened
| Christian, almost beyond any woman we
! have known. This writer knew her in
! timately, had visited her at her home, rev
erenced her as he has reverenced but few
| of the children of men, and got the story
! as we have told it from her own lips i'll the
presence of her daughter. when the sec
ond sight, or whatever it was, occurred.
! These instances are certainly very curious.
| Mrs. Joyner passed away from earth to
| Heaven many years ago, but her daughter
| lives. We could write a column in telling
of some very marked and beautiful traits
| Characteristic Of this wise, sanity woman
of North Carolina.
| When she was the wife of the Governor
Of North Carolina and occupied the resi-
dence at Raleigh set apart lsy the State for
| the Chief Executive, she allowed no dam
cling as had been the custom. She was a
| constant, most devout attendant upon the
| Methodist church, avalling herself haOitu-
ally of the means of grace afforded by the
prayer meeting and the class room, and OH
| revival occasions was to be seen nightly al
the altar kneeling beside some inquiring
| and penitent sinner, who was asking the
way to eternal life, praying for him, en-
cOurageing him. We once during the war
met her in the w. * w. cars. We took her
by the hand and asked whittier she had
been. She said she had been to the Rocky
Mount cotton mills to get yarn with which
to knit socks for the soldiers. She had at
| her own expense ridden some ten miles in
! a carriage and some eighty OF ninety 10y
rail to get yarn. She was then more than
! 20 years of age. She was refinement itself
| and had been "reared III the purple" if any
woman in the State had ever been SO reared.
| On one cold rainy day we were sitting 10y
her cheerful fre-Side in delightful CONVEX
Sation with her. Our attention was di-
rected to a regiment of calvalry that was
passing. Soldier after soldier stopped at
the we'll near the front gate torefreSh man
and beast. Quite number came to the
dwelling and solicited something to eat.
| The good mother gave freely all she had.
| After half hour OF more three officers
rode up and dismOunted. They were fine
looking men one especially SO. He weighed
1870 pounds probably, and was quite six
feet tall, shapely, erect, stalwart. Mrs.
| JOyner went to the door ard Saluted them.
They asked for food. Her reply was that
she had given all that was cooked but if
they would come in and wait she would
have some prepared. The kind invitation
was accepted. After her return to the Sit
| ting room she began to make inquiries con-
corning the war, whence they came and
whittier bound, and, as was her wont, she
/! glided presently to the subject of religion
! and began to press each with inquiries as
to their souls condition. We we'll remem-
Der how with her mOtherly manner and
| dignfied serenity she so appealed to the
stalwart soldier referred to above that the
| tears came into his eyes, and as she plead
with him he promised her that he would
seek the Lord. She told them how nobly
| they had borne themselves i'll leaving home
and friends and families to expose them
selves to disease and death in camp or on
| battlefield, and how grateful she was.
But" said she, my dear cOuntrymen,
this is we'll but not all. You are faithful
| to your country and your sense Of d.lty.
This is commendabIc, but you should 90
much farther. BE faithful and true to
your God and Saviour. You are true to
Gen. Lee, be true to your Great Com
mander, who redeemed TOu and bought
you with his own precious blood" She
pleaded with them, and all promised that
they would not forget her kind admoni-
lions and would endeavOr to be Christian
men. There were few such women on
earth as this noble mother in 1srael.-Wil-
mingtOn Star.
Mrs. James N. Williams. referred to
above, now lives in Henderson, having
three children Mrs. Col. 7. L. Jones, Mrs.
John Jones and Mr.. James NJ. Williams
here. She is most excellent lady, 10
less remarkable for her superior culture
and Christian worth than her distinguished
mother, from whom she inherited much OF
| her natural endOwments of mind and heart
The writer is familiar with the scenes
about " Rocky Ill.," having been raised
within few miles of the place, and has
known this good lady from his boyhood
Her sainted mother went to her reward
"before our day" but it is gratifying tC
publish such encomums about county.
woman, for whose descendants We enter.
tain such high regard and warm personal
friendship.
~%@0e~%s
/ ReneWs Her Youth.
Mrs. Phoebe Chesley. Peterson, Clay
Co, Iowa, tells The following remark